Unbeaten Belper United held in six-goal thriller

Battling Belper United twice fought from behind to preserve their unbeaten start to the Central Midlands League season in a six-goal thriller at Hucknall Rolls Leisure.

High-riding United, who had not lost any of their opening seven South Division matches, fell behind to a Rory Smith goal in the opening minute. And even though they equalised only four minutes later, when Nick Murray converted a teasing cross from the left, they were trailing again almost immediately as Chay Bettridge sidefooted home for the hosts.

The Belper side showed their character, however, squaring the match up at 2-2 before the break when Shaun Roulston escaped his marker to head home from a set-play. And they looked as if they might win it when Tim Perry latched on to a long ball from the back to finish from 12 yards and put them ahead for the first time.

The points were shared, though, as Rolls made it 3-3 15 minutes from the end with a header at the far post by defender Danny Hayes.

Lower down the division, Holbrook St Michael’s were without a game, but are looking forward to entertaining tabletopping Eastwood Community this Saturday.

In the league’s Reserves Division, both Holbrook sides suffered defeats to leave them in the bottom half of the table.

Holbrook Sports Reserves suffered their fifth reverse in seven games when falling 3-1 at home to struggling Harworth Reserves, who were celebrating their first win of the season after four defeats and two draws.

Holbrook St Michael’s Reserves are still waiting for their first points of the campaign after crashing to a 4-0 loss away to top-of-the-table Hucknall Town Reserves.